Think of almost any great rock star, writer or artist. With a few exceptions like Picasso most have a five year run then rest on their laurels.
Rod Stewart is the perfect example. His early stuff like Maggie May is kick-ass but after that? It's all Some Guys Have All the Luck sugary pop you forget immediately after hearing.
Let's compare a couple of iconic acts from the '60s: the Rolling Stones vs. Bob Dylan. The Stones still sell out stadiums today but Dylan? He's reduced to playing sheds in small towns like mine. Why? Because the Stones have been content to churn out note-by-note reproductions of Satisfaction for forty-five years while Dylan changes up the melodies and keeps things original.
I can understand why Jagger still prances around stage in leotards. That's what the people want.
Where is the incentive for a veteran rock act to challenge their audience with new material? British rockers The Police reunited in 2007 for a 15 month world tour. Did they put out a new album to promote? No. And why should they have bothered spending millions of dollars on studio time and videos in a world in which no one cares about the new melodies playing in bandleader Sting's head? We all just want to hear Roxanne for the millionth time and that is what Sting gives us. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da is our bathroom break song, do we really need a new album filled with them?
For every artist whose audience follows them wherever they go like the Beatles, there is a U2. While critics derided Bono and the boys for playing it safe and returning to their trademark anthemic sound on their 2000 hit single Beautiful Day, what many Joshua Tree huggers failed to realize is that U2 had spent most of the '90s experimenting on albums like Zooropa, Passengers and Pop--all of which failed to make a dent in the marketplace.
Where is the incentive for an artist to create challenging material in a world so resistant to it? It's the coffee shop-stadium quandary. You can sell millions by playing it safe or eat Ramen Noodles if you take a chance.
Tell me, which would you rather do?
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Tom Cordle
David Cox
C.K. Dexter Haven
Nick Leshi
Norwonk
Adrian Nothnagle
Salon.com
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Anyway, creative people have a hard time judging their own material. So when something becomes ultra-popular, it's very easy to assume that that popular judgment is the correct one.
There's also the fact that the music industry just doesn't tolerate the diversity that it used to. My husband is a mastering engineer, and whenever there's a new, big thing, he'll get dozens of sound-alike projects.
"Joshua Tree huggers" - lol.
I suppose I'll have to do a reverse flounce like you to attract the readers. :)
You brought up U2 as an example. I was there during their ill-conceived Pop-Mart tour. The bulk of the material they played from the "Pop" album was poorly received, and, in the band's defense, proved difficult to play live. For bands like U2, all their audience wants to hear is "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" or "Where The Streets Have No Name." You can keep the "edgy" stuff, thank you. It's a shame, yes, but U2, I'm sure, is well aware of that.
Radiohead, on the other hand, is an act that has an audience that not only is receptive to their experimentalist work, they practically demand it.
Then again, it's all a matter of persepective. Sure, the Stones haven't released a decent album in nearly 3o years, but they still kick ass live. Given a choice between the Decemberists' lush concept albums and Mick and Keith crankin' out a ragged version of "Midnight Rambler" on stage, I'll take the latter.
Our CD is on iTunes along with Lady GaGa. She rakes in millions. We work day jobs to scrape up enough money to get back into the studio. We try to keep our perspective by realizing that most music Cd's and downloads are purchased by twelve year old girls in tight jeans and earrings.
In discussing the incentives for artists to create challenging material rather than material that sells, you pose the question "which would you rather do?" How about a truthful response? We would love to sell enough CD's to just keep going. That is the reality for almost every professional musician.
Anyone that can make it as a musician in either fashion *hoisting my mt. dew* salud! you go- live the dream for as long as you can, doing whatever you can.